The average woman deals with menopause and its related symptoms for nearly one third of her life. And while a drop in estrogen levels might seem like enough to deal with, there are many neurological functions – such as mood and memory – that are impacted by these hormonal changes as well. While many women dismiss these bothersome symptoms, there are things that can be done to help improve cognitive and physical health during this phase of life.
How Estrogen Impacts The Brain
As women age, the body experiences a natural decline in estrogen levels. Leading up to and during menopause, these levels drop significantly – which leads to the end of your menstrual cycle and many changes to primary functions of the body that up to that point, relied on estrogen.
The hormonal changes associated with menopause have been known to cause many symptoms including:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint pain
- Mood changes and irritability
- Anxiety
- Memory and concentration problems
“Because of the role estrogen plays in a woman’s brain health throughout life, the drop off of hormones that occurs pre- and post-menopause is often associated with neurological symptoms,” says Laila Shehadeh, D.O., an obstetrician and gynecologist at Henry Ford Health. “Some women will experience cognitive difficulties as a result of heightened anxiety around memory issues. Others experience sleep difficulties that can result in trouble concentrating and mood changes.”
There are two main areas of the brain impacted by estrogen – the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. Both regions of the brain are related to your ability to learn and recall memories.
Additionally, estrogen also:
- Helps support brain elasticity
- Pushes our neurons to work harder
- Impacts our serotonin levels and mood
- Helps with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
According to the Penn Ovarian Aging Study conducted by Penn Medicine, researchers found that more than one third of women continue to experience menopausal symptoms for as long as 10 years after menopause. Experiencing these symptoms long-term can have significant effects on women’s mental, physical and cognitive health. Fortunately, Dr. Shehadeh provides some insight on how to feel more like yourself while your body is going through a major hormonal change.
How To Maintain Brain Health During Menopause
Everyone’s experience with menopause is different. Some women’s symptoms are more severe than others. It can also impact everything – not just your hormones and brain but also your sleep, sex drive, weight, etc.
“There are many things that you can do on your own to manage physical and cognitive changes during menopause,” says Dr. Shehadeh. This includes:
- Staying socially connected
- Making dietary choices to prioritize whole, natural foods
- Avoiding smoking
- Limiting alcohol consumption
- Controlling heart disease risk factors
- Managing stress levels
- Exercising
- Practicing mindfulness
“Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be very helpful during this transition,” says. Dr. Shehadeh. “It does take a long time to go through the entirety of menopause and learning to cope with that is essential.”
Balancing Hormones For Better Cognitive Health
Women's Health At Henry Ford
Additionally, doctors have a wide array of ways to treat the neurological symptoms of menopause – specifically including hot flashes, mood changes and brain fog – through hormonal and nonhormonal options.
“There is a lot of misinformation out there about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and how it can be used for treating symptoms of menopause,” says Dr. Shehadeh. “However, we now know that your brain is better protected from cognitive decline after menopause when you do HRT.”
Doctors recommend starting HRT within the first 10 years of menopause (the start of which is marked by 12 consecutive months without of period) and before age 60. In addition to reducing your risk for dementia by 26%, HRT can also lower your risk for colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. However, Dr. Shehadeh notes that it is important to talk to your doctor about HRT therapy sooner rather than later as starting hormonal treatments too late into menopause can actually increase your risk for dementia and heart disease by as much as 30%.
Don’t delay meeting with your doctor to discuss how menopause impacts your body. While the average age of menopause is 51.4 years old, perimenopause (pre-menopause) can start as early as mid-30s. Even then, your doctor can work with you to find ways to help you manage symptoms, with or without medication.
Reviewed by Dr. Laila Shehadeh, an OB/GYN who sees patients at Henry Ford Womens Health - Warren.
